A Nissan Rogue hybrid? Sounds like a automobile that would win the blessing of Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn, who is known to be very bullish on battery electric vehicles taking over the sector. Lending far more distinct credence to the rumor, a Japanese engineer just told Automotive News that Nissan might give us a Rogue hybrid. Are your electrons obtaining excited, crossover purchasers?
The suggestion comes from Nobusuke Toukura, chief engineer for the new X-Trail Hybrid, the overseas Rogue built on the identical platform, which was just introduced in Japan last week. When we asked Nissan USA about the prospect, the organization wouldn’t confirm Toukura’s claim outright, but did say that it would like to add a lot more hybrids beyond the Pathfinder Hybrid to its lineup. Since the Rogue is Nissan’s second very best-selling model and Toyota has just unwrapped the RAV4 Hybrid, a Rogue hybrid appears like a no-brainer. From a production standpoint, a Rogue hybrid would be easy to add to the Smyrna, Tennessee line that already rolls out Rogues and Pathfinders.
Like the Pathfinder Hybrid, the X-Trail Hybrid eschews the common 2-motor setup—a generator to charge its lithium-ion battery and a traction motor to put down the power—and alternatively employs 2 electronic clutches that carry out each duties, with 1 separating the engine and the motor. On the X-Trail Hybrid, Nissan pairs a 40-hp electric motor with a 2.-liter 145-hp 4-cylinder, optional all-wheel drive, and claims 47 mpg on Japan’s very unrealistic JC08 cycle. It’s tough to say how that combo would do in EPA testing but at the quite least we could expect a drastically higher rating than the Pathfinder Hybrid’s 25/27 mpg city/highway.
Even with gas rates in a welcome lull, Nissan requirements volume to grow to be noticed in this space, and the future hybridized GT-R is not going to do it. The last-gen Altima Hybrid, which used a Toyota-licensed powertrain, was quick-lived, reasonably inefficient, and only offered in 10 states. And while the Nissan Leaf leads the plug-in marketplace, the automaker sells the fewest hybrids of all its competitors. Combined with its 3 Infiniti models (Q50, QX60, and Q70), Nissan sold fewer than 8000 hybrids in 2014. Ford shipped more than 9.5 instances that number. Even Subaru, which offers only the XV Crosstrek Hybrid, managed to outsell Nissan and Infiniti in its really 1st year. Get to it, Ghosn.
We know a lot about Cadillac’s all-new CT6 luxury sedan, including its set of all-new engines, but so far specifics on the impending plug-in hybrid version have proved elusive. Now, nonetheless, thanks to some comments from GM North America president Mark Reuss to Autoblog, we know to count on the pluggable CT6 to debut at the 2015 Shanghai auto show later this month.
We nonetheless don’t know what will energy the hybrid, but the typical CT6 will offer a naturally aspirated V-6 and a twin-turbo V-6 at launch, plus, sooner or later, a twin-turbo V-7 A plug-in tends to make sense for Cadillac—especially for the European and Chinese markets—and we’ll locate out what the brand is up to in just a couple of weeks.
The final-generation Chevy Malibu hybrid was sort of an also-ran amongst H-labeled sedans: Greatest characterized as a “mild” hybrid method, the getup netted EPA ratings of just 26 mpg city and 34 highway. Not specifically a Prius fighter. But for 2016, as component of a complete Malibu redesign, Chevrolet ultimately saw fit to give the hybrid variant a gas-electric drivetrain to be taken seriously.
The new Malibu Hybrid draws on the lessons that Chevy discovered in generating the upcoming second-generation Volt plug-in hybrid. The new ’Bu can whisper along on electric-only power—something the final-generation automobile was incapable of—at speeds up to 55 mph. At time of writing, Chevrolet was not capable to provide exact estimates for electric-only variety or EPA-verified fuel economy, but the organization says it expects a combined fuel-economy rating exceeding 45 mpg.
Component of that newfound thriftiness comes from the new hybrid drivetrain. The petrol-powered half is an all-new 1.8-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder, a direct-injected unit that is larger and far more muscular than the 1.5-liter discovered in the 2016 Chevy Volt. The 1.8-liter is teamed with a 2-motor electric drivetrain that is largely related to the new Volt’s.
With both the gasoline engine and the electric motors working in concert, the drivetrain puts out a total of 182 horsepower. When it’s time to hit the whoa pedal on all these ponies, a Volt-derived regenerative braking system recharges the 80-cell, 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack stowed beneath the trunk floor.
The Malibu hybrid also functions a nifty Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery technique, scavenging thermal energy from the gas engine’s exhaust system to heat the cabin and speed engine warm-up in cold weather. Active grille shutters (which are also found on LS and LT nonhybrid models) and a slightly lowered ride height additional help fuel efficiency.
So, too, does the new car’s weight loss. Chevy says the 2016 Malibu is much more than 300 pounds lighter than the outgoing model. This is in spite of increasing in length, which sees the Malibu add some much-necessary rear legroom.
With the Volt-derived drivetrain, Chevy hopes to ideal the hybrid variants of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata. The bogey to beat, nonetheless, is the Honda Accord hybrid, which tops the segment with an EPA combined rating of 47 mpg. We’ll have to wait on official word from the EPA—as properly as our own driving experience—before we take Chevy at its word on the “combined rating north of 45 mpg” claim. When the car goes on sale in the 4th quarter of this year, the challenge then for Chevrolet will be to get people to believe “Malibu” when they’re pondering “hybrid.”
One more hybridized 3-series, this time with a plug.
The entry-luxury sedan segment’s dominant Germans are about to extend their merciless battle to plug-in hybrids. Audi is prepping such a version of the A4 and Mercedes-Benz has a corded C-class in the works. Naturally, BMW’s pluggable 3-series is also imminent.
The large unanswered question in this emerging sub-segment, however, is exactly how much EV range folks count on from their plug-in hybrid. For its element, BMW is about to take a quite huge bet that much less plug-in hybrid may well just be a lot more. Audi has staked out 30 miles of pure-electric running as its baseline. BMW, even though, thinks 22 miles is a lot for the 3-series eDrive. (Mercedes agrees, citing 20 miles for its C350 PHEV.) If you need to have any much more than that, BMW will gladly steer you more than to the i3 or the more sensible but still-unconfirmed i5.
If it all goes to plan, the shorter variety will give the BMW—which, since no a single remembers the “eta”-engined E30, is really likely to be badged 328e—some positive aspects. To cite just 3: It has fewer lithium-ion cells than the Audi and is as a result less expensive, a smaller battery is a lot less complicated to package amongst its rear-drive hardware, and the complete hybrid component set weighs much less. If it does not all go to plan, it will imply too many folks will uncover the Audi’s further variety is the difference amongst charging the car as soon as a day or twice.
Nonetheless, this is the vehicle BMW improvement engineer Helmuth Wiesler is counting on to future-proof the brand’s most critical model line against emissions laws and taxes, so he’s taking it all extremely seriously. There’s also the truth that BMW plans to make a plug-in version of each and every main model it sells.
The Electrically Boosted Heart
His development group gave the 3-series eDrive BMW’s new 2.-liter turbocharged and direct-injected B48 4-cylinder gasoline engine. It has 180 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque and works via an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends output to the rear axle. But within this transmission lies the eDrive’s trick: BMW has properly swapped out the classic torque converter for a “torque transformer,” which is, to the rest of us, an electric motor.
This 95-hp electric motor (sorry, “torque transformer”) acts straight on the input shaft, so little energy is wasted. And not only does it push far more power and torque under acceleration, it also acts as a generator whenever the auto decelerates and requires more than starter-motor duties.
It gets the juice to do its perform from a refrigerant—not water—cooled 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted at the back of the vehicle. (The battery pack’s operating variety is the middle 5.5 kWh.) It is not all excellent news, even though, since the housing for the pack pushes the trunk floor up by a lot more than an inch.
Combining the 2 powerplants for maximum urge, as the 3-series eDrive does in its Sport mode, benefits in 245 horsepower, which is about on the funds for the standard 328i, as nicely as 295 lb-ft of torque. Yet the auto scores a European combined consumption figure of 118 mpg, albeit on a test cycle optimized for plug-ins.
This high-tech hybrid electric SUV is in a class of its personal. A great decision for environmentally-conscious households, writes car reviewer Tim Barnes-Clay.
The Mitsubishi PHEV could look like a normal Outlander, but hiding behind the mask is the most technologically advanced sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the market.
PHEV stands for plug-in hybrid electric automobile. It indicates the SUV can be fed by electricity from a domestic socket to power electric motors that are supported by a petrol engine.
2 electric motors drive the front and rear axles separately while batteries enable electricity-only driving at up to 75mph.
Beyond that pace, or should the battery pack drain to significantly less than 30% of its charge, a 2.-litre petrol engine kicks in to life.
It acts as a generator to help the PHEV accomplish a total driving variety of about 500 miles on a full tank.
Great fuel efficiency
The Outlander PHEV is also the most fuel efficient 4-wheel drive.
That’;s astounding for a household-size automobile that guidelines the scales at a bulky 1,810kg, and seats 5.
As a international 1st, the Outlander PHEV also has no direct rival.
The closest is the Lexus RX450h, though it cannot be recharged via a powerpoint and cannot run on electricity alone.
All mod cons
Befitting its very first-class status in the Outlander variety, the PHEV is extremely nicely stacked with kit.
It has 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing auto headlamps, touch-screen with satellite navigation and reversing camera, climate manage, parking sensors and 6 airbags.
The flagship GX4hs was driven for this evaluation and the model comes with added functions such as adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.
The latter squeals at you if it detects you have drifted across the road’s white dividing lines.
Impressive following a slow commence
If you’;re used to a common automobile, it is going to be a peculiar expertise the first time you gently push the gearstick over to the correct into D and drive off in silence.
Even sharp jabs of the throttle create the exact same quantity of hush, although that has its rewards – the audio unit is only typical, so at least there is plenty of clarity in the quiet cabin.
The Outlander PHEV isn’;t rapid from a standing start, but tremendous pulling energy tends to make up for it when you get going.
Initial acceleration suffers simply since of the heavy jumble of battery and electric motors that the regular Outlander doesn’;t possess.
Simple charging
When you need to have to recharge on the move, all you need to have to do is hit the Charge switch behind the joystick, which fires up the 4-cylinder engine to replenish the battery.
A single charge through a powerpoint requires 5 hours, which could price you next to practically nothing based on the time of day you decide on to plug in to the grid.
Inside, it is pretty much common Outlander layout apart from the joystick-style gearstick and electric charging buttons.
The tachometer has also been replaced by a energy meter, which shows when you’;re charging up or utilizing the battery, or operating the engine.
Green, yet effective
Behind the wheel, physique handle is good for an SUV of this weight as the Outlander PHEV profits from Mitsubishi’;s Super All-Wheel Manage (S-AWC).
This is a program that ensures maximum stability when cornering.
Certainly, for its green yet powerful talents, Mitsubishi’;s PHEV is an SUV that a lot of British families will take to their hearts.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Pros and cons
Low cost to run √
Pulling power √
Lots of kit √
Secure √
Initial acceleration X
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Fast details
Max speed: 106 mph
-62 mph: 11 secs
Combined mpg: 148.7
Engine: 2.-litre petrol plus 2 electric motors
Max. power (bhp): 119 at 4500 rpm
Max. torque (lb/ft): 140 at 4500 rpm
CO2: 44 g/km
Cost: £40,054 on the road
Evaluate automobile insurance coverage – you could find a deal in minutes Get a car insurance coverage quote
This high-tech hybrid electric SUV is in a class of its own. A great choice for environmentally-conscious families, writes car reviewer Tim Barnes-Clay.
The Mitsubishi PHEV may look like a normal Outlander, but hiding behind the mask is the most technologically advanced sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the market.
PHEV stands for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It means the SUV can be fed by electricity from a domestic socket to power electric motors that are supported by a petrol engine.
2 electric motors drive the front and rear axles separately while batteries allow electricity-only driving at up to 75mph.
Beyond that pace, or should the battery pack drain to less than 30% of its charge, a 2.0-litre petrol engine kicks in to life.
It acts as a generator to help the PHEV accomplish a total driving range of approximately 500 miles on a full tank.
Great fuel efficiency
The Outlander PHEV is also the most fuel efficient 4-wheel drive.
That’;s astounding for a family-size car that tips the scales at a bulky 1,810kg, and seats 5.
As a global first, the Outlander PHEV also has no direct rival.
The closest is the Lexus RX450h, though it can’;t be recharged via a powerpoint and cannot run on electricity alone.
All mod cons
Befitting its first-class status in the Outlander range, the PHEV is very well stacked with kit.
It has 18-inch alloy wheels, dusk-sensing auto headlamps, touch-screen with satellite navigation and reversing camera, climate control, parking sensors and 6 airbags.
The flagship GX4hs was driven for this review and the model comes with additional features such as adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning.
The latter squeals at you if it detects you’ve drifted across the road’s white dividing lines.
Impressive after a slow start
If you’;re used to a standard car, it’;s going to be a peculiar experience the first time you gently push the gearstick over to the right into D and drive off in silence.
Even sharp jabs of the throttle produce the same amount of hush, though that has its rewards – the audio unit is only average, so at least there’;s plenty of clarity in the quiet cabin.
The Outlander PHEV isn’;t rapid from a standing start, but tremendous pulling power makes up for it once you get going.
Initial acceleration suffers simply because of the heavy jumble of battery and electric motors that the standard Outlander doesn’;t possess.
Simple charging
When you need to recharge on the move, all you need to do is hit the Charge switch behind the joystick, which fires up the 4-cylinder engine to replenish the battery.
A single charge via a powerpoint takes 5 hours, which could cost you next to nothing depending on the time of day you choose to plug in to the grid.
Inside, it’;s pretty much standard Outlander layout apart from the joystick-style gearstick and electric charging buttons.
The tachometer has also been replaced by a power meter, which shows when you’;re charging up or using the battery, or running the engine.
Green, yet powerful
Behind the wheel, body control is good for an SUV of this weight as the Outlander PHEV profits from Mitsubishi’;s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC).
This is a system that ensures maximum stability when cornering.
Indeed, for its green yet powerful talents, Mitsubishi’;s PHEV is an SUV that many British families will take to their hearts.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Pros and cons
Cheap to run √
Pulling power √
Lots of kit √
Safe √
Initial acceleration X
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: Fast facts
Max speed: 106 mph
0-62 mph: 11 secs
Combined mpg: 148.7
Engine: 2.0-litre petrol plus 2 electric motors
Max. power (bhp): 119 at 4500 rpm
Max. torque (lb/ft): 140 at 4500 rpm
CO2: 44 g/km
Price: £40,054 on the road
Compare car insurance – you could find a deal in minutes Get a car insurance quote
Toyota has posted an impressive global milestone with confirmation it has sold its 6-millionth hybrid vehicle, further entrenching the Japanese automaker as the world’;s favourite car brand.
Noteworthy is the pace at which Toyota’;s worldwide hybrid vehicle sales continue to accelerate – the latest million-unit-sales record was achieved in a staggering 9 months. As at the end of September the exact number reached was 7.053 million.
Globally, Prius accounts for almost half the overall total with 3.36 million sales – making it easily the world’;s best-selling hybrid vehicle. Toyota began selling the Prius in Japan in 1997. In South Africa this game-changing model made its debut in 2005 and since then the local hybrid range has grown to span 6 different models across both the Toyota and Lexus brands.
As Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing for Toyota SA Motors, points out: “Toyota is the only local manufacturer to have a hybrid presence in just about every single segment. At the affordable end of the market there’;s Yaris and Auris; playing in the middle of the field is the stalwart Prius and the premium Lexus CT 200h; while at the other end of the spectrum you have the Lexus ES 300h, RX 450h and GS 450h.”
“It’;s not surprising that hybrid and related developments have been identified as core technologies for Toyota in the 21st century. And, the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles has had tangible benefits – Toyota estimates that its hybrid programme has cut carbon-dioxide emissions by approximately 49 million tonnesand saved approximately 18 million kilolitres of fuel compared with vehicles of similar size and driving performance using petrol-only engines.
“Something else to consider is that hybrids save the most fuel during stop-and-go driving i.e. city driving and let’;s face it, this is where most of us spend our time on the road,” Crompton says.
Next year, Toyota will start selling its first mass-produced hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid vehicle in Japan, Europe and the United States.
Toyota has posted an impressive global milestone with confirmation it has sold its 6-millionth hybrid vehicle, further entrenching the Japanese automaker as the world’;s favourite car brand.
Noteworthy is the pace at which Toyota’;s worldwide hybrid vehicle sales continue to accelerate – the latest million-unit-sales record was achieved in a staggering 9 months. As at the end of September the exact number reached was 7.053 million.
Globally, Prius accounts for almost half the overall total with 3.36 million sales – making it easily the world’;s best-selling hybrid vehicle. Toyota began selling the Prius in Japan in 1997. In South Africa this game-changing model made its debut in 2005 and since then the local hybrid range has grown to span 6 different models across both the Toyota and Lexus brands.
As Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing for Toyota SA Motors, points out: “Toyota is the only local manufacturer to have a hybrid presence in just about every single segment. At the affordable end of the market there’;s Yaris and Auris; playing in the middle of the field is the stalwart Prius and the premium Lexus CT 200h; while at the other end of the spectrum you have the Lexus ES 300h, RX 450h and GS 450h.”
“It’;s not surprising that hybrid and related developments have been identified as core technologies for Toyota in the 21st century. And, the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles has had tangible benefits – Toyota estimates that its hybrid programme has cut carbon-dioxide emissions by approximately 49 million tonnesand saved approximately 18 million kilolitres of fuel compared with vehicles of similar size and driving performance using petrol-only engines.
“Something else to consider is that hybrids save the most fuel during stop-and-go driving i.e. city driving and let’;s face it, this is where most of us spend our time on the road,” Crompton says.
Next year, Toyota will start selling its first mass-produced hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid vehicle in Japan, Europe and the United States.
Toyota has posted an impressive global milestone with confirmation it has sold its 6-millionth hybrid vehicle, further entrenching the Japanese automaker as the world’;s favourite car brand.
Noteworthy is the pace at which Toyota’;s worldwide hybrid vehicle sales continue to accelerate – the latest million-unit-sales record was achieved in a staggering 9 months. As at the end of September the exact number reached was 7.053 million.
Globally, Prius accounts for almost half the overall total with 3.36 million sales – making it easily the world’;s best-selling hybrid vehicle. Toyota began selling the Prius in Japan in 1997. In South Africa this game-changing model made its debut in 2005 and since then the local hybrid range has grown to span 6 different models across both the Toyota and Lexus brands.
As Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing for Toyota SA Motors, points out: “Toyota is the only local manufacturer to have a hybrid presence in just about every single segment. At the affordable end of the market there’;s Yaris and Auris; playing in the middle of the field is the stalwart Prius and the premium Lexus CT 200h; while at the other end of the spectrum you have the Lexus ES 300h, RX 450h and GS 450h.”
“It’;s not surprising that hybrid and related developments have been identified as core technologies for Toyota in the 21st century. And, the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles has had tangible benefits – Toyota estimates that its hybrid programme has cut carbon-dioxide emissions by approximately 49 million tonnesand saved approximately 18 million kilolitres of fuel compared with vehicles of similar size and driving performance using petrol-only engines.
“Something else to consider is that hybrids save the most fuel during stop-and-go driving i.e. city driving and let’;s face it, this is where most of us spend our time on the road,” Crompton says.
Next year, Toyota will start selling its first mass-produced hydrogen fuel-cell hybrid vehicle in Japan, Europe and the United States.
How does 1 polish a cactus? Eliminate the needles, of course. That’s what Citroën has done with its funky-French C4 Cactus crossover to create the Airflow 2L notion, which tends to make its aerodynamic, in-the-succulent debut at the 2014 Paris auto show next week.
Citroën shaved this Cactus for one particular cause: Fuel economy. In an automotive sense, a car’s “needles” are its a variety of drag-inducing physique pieces. Thus, Citroën streamlined the Cactus’s aerodynamics with spats around the wheel arches, a entirely sealed underbody, a rear bumper diffuser, and dynamic wind deflectors behind the rear quarter windows. Other active aerodynamic components contain 3 variable intake slats in the front bumper and shutters on the wheels that shut in accordance with rotational forces (the shutters close far more the faster the wheels turn). As is notion-automobile vogue these days, the Airflow does with out standard door mirrors, cutting drag and leaving drivers to rely solely on video feeds from every side.
All of this aero operate, combined with the Airflow’s skinny BMW i3–style “tall and narrow” 19-inch wheels, improves the C4′s aerodynamics by a claimed 20 percent. Helpfully, Citroën painted all of the Airflow 2L concept’s aero addenda a vibrant orange color to make them less difficult to pick out against the car’s white physique. Further assisting fuel economy is the C4 Cactus Airflow’s 220-pound diet relative to the standard Cactus it weighs a claimed 1907 pounds. Credit goes to the concept’s composite floor panels, suspension springs, doors, roof, liftgate, rear seats, side panels, doors, and fenders. Higher-strength steel was used in the door sills and front passenger kick panels, and aluminum replaces the typical Cactus’s far more conventional alchemy in crucial structural regions. Citroën’s obsessive quest for weight shaving incorporated thinning the tubing employed in the exhaust and replacing the panoramic roof glass with thin polycarbonate. Ultimately, the Airbumps—Airbumps!—on the side have been rendered in lightweight carbon fiber.
With much less drag to deal with, the Cactus’s offered 3-cylinder “PureTech” gasoline engine would probably be lots fuel efficient when installed in the Airflow idea, but Citroën gave it a various kind of increase in the type of its bizarrely cool air-powered hybrid system. Making use of a pair of pressurized air tanks and a hydraulic pump/motor that feeds energy to a planetary transmission mounted in between it and the gas engine, Citroën gets the rewards of a hybrid with no a heavy battery. (Head right here for a full breakdown of how Citroën’s method performs.)
The goal in all of this Airflowing, lightweighting, and air-pressurizing is hinted at in the “2L” portion of the Citroën’s name. In Europe, the efficient-vehicle holy grail is the so-named “one-liter car” it represents any automobile capable of traveling 25 km (62 miles) on a single liter of fuel. The Volkswagen XL1 resulted from the VW Group’s efforts toward such a automobile, for instance. The C4 Cactus, no matter how several aero bits are blown its way, merely can’;t match the XL1′s potential to reduce via the air, and is therefore a 2-liter auto. Nonetheless, 2 liters of fuel utilized per 25 km translates to practically 118 mpg. Not poor, yet the ideal element is how the Airflow manages to maintain the C4 Cactus’s stylish appears and desirability.
Better 20 years late than never ever: According to Reuters, Ford is organizing its initial devoted gas-electric hybrid model for the 2019 model year, to compete directly against the Toyota Prius. (The C-Max doesn’t count, considering that it was initially sold in Europe as a typical MPV.)
Given that Toyota’s reigning hybrid champ hit Japan in 1997 and made a beachhead on our shores for 2001, a lot more than 3 million copies have been sold, like much more than 800,000 from all 4 model variants final year. The unnamed sources say that Ford plans to make about 120,000 of its hybrid every year. Those exact same sources say the hybrid will be based on a new “C2 international compact architecture” that Ford will also use for the subsequent Concentrate and Escape. Reuters was less particular on powertrains, only to say they’ll be “adapted from Ford’s present hybrid models.”
If this all shapes up as reported, it will mark a main departure from the normal Ford practice of modifying gasoline-powered vehicles to accommodate hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full-electric powertrains on the same assembly line. It would also mark a shift from the philosophy of offering green-leaning vehicles that don’t make its drivers appear like revolutionaries aside from battery packs intruding into cargo space, Ford’s hybrids and electrics are typically demure. Of course, the Prius’s egg-shaped aesthetic—not to mention 2 decades’ worth of confirmed efficiency—have created it the go-to hybrid for most shoppers, and Ford desires to get itself a piece of that.
The Blue Oval, however, will have to be careful that it does not adhere to the path of Honda and its Insight the Insight featured a dedicated, semifuturistic physique and was the 1st mainstream hybrid on the American market, but the nameplate was steamrolled—twice—by the Prius juggernaut. And now that even nonhybrid mid-size sedans are achieving 40 mpg, Ford marketers have really the challenge. Whatever takes place, it’s about to get actual again in the Whole Foods parking lot.
A report citing unnamed sources has appeared on the Australian web site Motoring.com.au purporting to reveal new information on Nissan’s next-generation Z sports automobile, and the information is exciting, to say the least. First off, the coupe version of the new Z will get a T-prime or targa-roof arrangement, while the roadster will move from its existing soft-leading lid to a energy-folding hardtop. As we’ve reported, a Mercedes-sourced turbocharged 4-cylinder and a 6-cylinder are anticipated, but Motoring adds that both powertrains will be hybridized and turbocharged. That is exactly where the information gets a bit fuzzy.
You see, our intel suggests that Nissan will use an evolution of the current 370Z’s rear-drive platform for the new Z, as an alternative of designing a newer, smaller, lighter a single to take on the likes of the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S twins. This indicates that weight savings will be paramount to sustaining the Z’s performance (specifically when equipped with the turbo 4) although also squeezing far better fuel economy from the 6-cylinder auto. Adding a hybrid system to each engines will not only enhance the car’s price, but add pounds to its curb weight, neither of which jibes with Nissan’s Z agenda as we know it.
On the other hand, we could see Nissan moving toward a targa roof style, if for no other reason than to add a “wow” feature to assist the automobile stand out against the new Ford Mustang, Chevrolet’s Camaro, and the upcoming Hyundai Genesis coupe replacement. We’ll uncover out what’s what when the new Z arrives subsequent year—probably as a 2016 model—but contemplate us skeptical that it’ll be hybridized.
Drive-by-wire sports sedan joins our extended-term fleet.
Months in Fleet: 5 months Present Mileage: 8268 miles Typical Fuel Economy: 25 mpg Variety: 440 miles Service: $ 85 Regular Put on: $ Repair: $ Harm and Destruction: $
The initial new model to debut below Infiniti’s reshuffled alphanumeric nomenclature scheme, the 2014 Q50 requires the spot formerly held by the G37 sedan. As Infiniti’s torchbearer in the competitive entry-luxury sport sedan segment, the Q50 was tasked with covering a lot of solution bandwidth for the brand. As a result, when the revamped Q50 hit the ground at the 2013 Detroit auto show, it brought with it the announcement that a hybrid version would be available for 2014. Our interest was piqued–eco-posturing aside, what driver rewards would a hybrid Q50 offer that weren’t currently present in the nonhybrid version? To draw our personal conclusions, we ordered a 2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid AWD in a deep shade of Venetian Ruby for a proper 40,000-mile evaluation.
The Q50s Hybrid AWD arrived at our Ann Arbor offices wearing the exact same fresh sheetmetal, interior attributes, and pair of sinister-seeking front headlamp binnacles that adorn all Q50 trim levels. The variations begin with the powertrain: In addition to selecting up a 67-hp electric motor and its attendant 1.4-kWh battery pack, the hybrid version employs a 302-horse 3.5-liter V-6 in location of the nonhybrid’s 328-hp 3.7-liter V-6. Combined, the hybrid program is rated at 360 horsepower, a 32-pony enhance more than the normal automobile. Shared outright are the 6-speed automatic transmission and Infiniti’s controversial Direct Adaptive Steering technique (much more on that later).
All the Toys
Taking the important fob to a Q50S Hybrid AWD grants one particular access to a quite complete assortment of standard attributes, which includes Infiniti’s slick InTuition method, which permits the storing of preferred climate, audio, and driving settings on stated crucial fob, eliminating the require to reset them manually every single time a single enters the car—ideal for 2-driver households. Further standard niceties fitted to our Q50’s graphite-colored interior include a energy moonroof, 8-way power heated leather front seats with manually adjustable thigh supports, dual-zone automatic climate handle, and a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel on a power-adjustable tilt and telescopic column. At the corners reside 19-inch aluminum wheels with 245/40 Dunlop 5000 SP Sport DSST CTT run-flat tires.
The optional equipment on our test automobile was limited to the Navigation package ($ 1400), which brings voice recognition, SiruisXM Traffic, and 12 months of the proprietary Infiniti Connection telematics method, as well as the All Climate Package ($ 230), which adds 4 floor mats and a trunk protector. Including location, the Q50S Hybrid’s MSRP crept to an as-tested price of $ 51,035, close to the stickers of luxury-branded competitors such as the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD.
Strapping our test gear to the auto revealed some encouraging numbers: The zero-to-60-mph sprint clocked in at 5. seconds and the quarter-mile at 13.7, bettering the numbers of the rear-wheel-drive 2014 Q50S Hybrid we tested previously by .1 second in both measures. Interestingly, it was just mere tenths behind the 4.9- and 13.5-second marks set by a nonhybrid rear-wheel-drive 2014 Q50 also tested. Digging a tiny deeper, we found that the acceleration numbers matched these of the 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 in the zero-to-60 run and gave up only .2 seconds in the quarter-mile. Hauling the 4161-pound Q50 to a cease from 70 mph needed 174 feet, a shorter span than necessary by either of the aforementioned hybrids. The Q50 Hybrid did, even so, suffer from heavy fade.
Touchy, Feely
However, those respectable overall performance numbers don’t translate to a tactile feel at the helm, specially in the places of braking and steering. In spite of an update early in the model run to address drive-quality deficiencies, the Q50 Hybrid’s logbook is littered with criticisms directed at the car’s fully electric, drive-by-wire Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS), one particular editor going as far as saying that “playing Gran Turismo on a dual-shock controller delivers much more feedback and feels a lot more organic.” Particularly, the majority of the complaints focus on the steering’s “freaky” fast nature, coupled with zero feedback and the require to make virtually continual corrections. The brakes also inspired some colorful commentary, centering on a grabby initial pedal response followed by a basic lack of linearity. One editor summed it up nicely by stating, “they are not possible to modulate smoothly.”
Nonetheless, the Q50 managed to roll up considerable miles in its 1st handful of months right here. Early in its stay, we swapped the all-season Dunlops for Bridgestone winter rubber, which combined with the Q50’s AWD drivetrain to make the vehicle double as a snow machine for the duration of the long harsh winter. To this point, Virginia is the farthest from residence that the Infiniti has traveled. So far, it has yielded an all round fuel efficiency of 25 mpg, a disappointing 2 mpg under the EPA city rating. 1 especially relaxed-pace excursion into the flat expanses of Ohio generated a ideal-but quantity of 30 mpg, proving that the Q50 Hybrid is capable of attaining its EPA highway rating of 31 mpg when driven in accordance with state targeted traffic laws.
Just after the snow receded right here in Michigan, we sent the Q50 Hybrid westward for a stint with our Montana bureau editor John Phillips. We’re confident he’ll have no shortage of words and insights when it comes time for the Q50’s initial extended-term test update.
Audi has embarked toward future mobility with the international launch of the brand’;s first plug-in hybrid model, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, which can cover up to 50 kilometres in pure electric mode. The A3 Sportback e-tron combines dynamic power, high efficiency and an emotional driving experience with uncompromising everyday utility. The 5-door compact, whose 1.4 TFSI engine and electric motor produce a system output of 150 kW, is a sporty all-arounder and perfect for everyday driving. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is now available in Europe and is currently under review for the South African market, with a possible introduction in 2016.
Its sporty character positions the A3 Sportback e-tron as a new highlight in the A3 family. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron offers all the strengths of a typical Audi. Its drivetrain comprises a 1.4 TFSI engine with 110 kW, a 75 kW electric motor and a newly developed 6-speed S tronic with an integrated electric motor. The system output is 150 kW with a maximum system torque of 350 Nm. The battery has a capacity of 8.8 kWh and can be charged in a little more than 2 hours from an industrial outlet. A versatile charging system is standard, while a smartphone app provides for extremely easy remote charging and precooling/preheating.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron accelerates to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and has a top speed of 222 km/h. In purely electric mode, top speed is limited to 130 km/h. Fuel consumption according to the ECE standard for plug-in hybrid vehicles is just 1.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 35 grams per kilometre. In electric mode, the compact 5-door can cover 50 kilometres with a CO2 emission of zero grams per kilometre.
The drivetrain of the A3 Sportback e-tron comprises 3 units: a 1.4 TFSI engine, an electric motor and a newly developed 6-speed, dual-clutch transmission. The 1.4 TFSI is one of Audi’;s most advanced engines. The engine is shifted roughly 6 centimeters to the right in the engine compartment compared with an A3 with a classic drivetrain to make room for the additional components. Its crankcase is made of lightweight aluminum, and the entire engine weighs just 100 kilograms
The hybrid management system intelligently controls the interaction of the drive systems. It offers the driver numerous functions, including boost, in which the engine and motor actively work together, and recuperation, which feeds the automobile’;s kinetic energy back into the battery. In contrast to some of its competitors, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is not an either-or concept, but a car that is up to any automotive task.
The driver can use Audi drive select to configure the character of the car according to the modes comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. Due to its to systematic lightweight design, the A3 e-tron has a curb weight (without driver) of just 1,540 kg, yet offers space for 5 occupants and 280 litres of luggage.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron offers a number of operating modes besides braking recuperation. The car is almost always started electrically, except at very low temperatures, in extremely hot conditions or when battery charge is very low. With the electric motor’;s high torque, the compact car accelerates strongly.
Even at a constant 100 km/h in EV mode, it is generally only the electric motor that is in operation provided that there is sufficient battery energy. If the driver maximises the pressure on the accelerator, hybrid mode is activated and the combustion engine starts up. The 2 engines begin working together sooner if the driver has selected the sporty S mode. Boost begins earlier and the A3 Sportback e-tron accelerates with 350 Nm of system torque. When the driver lets up on the accelerator in S mode, the system recovers energy via coasting recuperation, whereas in D mode the hybrid system deactivates both drives and switches into gliding mode. The kinetic energy is now used to achieve maximum range via rolling, and engine drag losses are minimized. The driver of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron can intervene in the hybrid management system at any time.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron comes standard with a charging system that makes full use of the power supplied by the electrical outlet. It comprises a control unit with graphical display, a car cable and 2 power cables with the household and industrial plugs appropriate for the respective country.
Body and design
Subtle details document the special status of the plug-in hybrid model. The Singleframe grille is matt black and contains 14 fine, horizontal chrome struts. Forked chrome struts fill the air inlets, while the bumpers and side sill trims have a sporty look. At the rear, the newly designed apron encompasses a platinum grey diffuser with 2 chrome-plated horizontal slats and 2 side reflectors. The exhaust system tailpipe is invisible, while e-tron badges adorn the grille, the luggage compartment hatch and the fenders. There are 13 paint finishes from which to choose.
The dynamic lines of the exterior continue to the elegant and clean interior of the A3 Sportback e-tron, much the same when compared to its A3 siblings. The displays provide the driver with precise information about the drivetrain. The powermeter, which takes the place of the tachometer in the instrument cluster, shows the system’;s overall output, as well as the status of the drivetrain and the battery charge. The tachometer can be shown in the display between the speedometer and the powermeter. The monitor for the optional MMI navigation plus uses sophisticated graphics to visualize the energy flows in the hybrid system. The entire display and operating concept is clear and intuitive.
Audi has embarked toward future mobility with the international launch of the brand’;s first plug-in hybrid model, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, which can cover up to 50 kilometres in pure electric mode. The A3 Sportback e-tron combines dynamic power, high efficiency and an emotional driving experience with uncompromising everyday utility. The 5-door compact, whose 1.4 TFSI engine and electric motor produce a system output of 150 kW, is a sporty all-arounder and perfect for everyday driving. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is now available in Europe and is currently under review for the South African market, with a possible introduction in 2016.
Its sporty character positions the A3 Sportback e-tron as a new highlight in the A3 family. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron offers all the strengths of a typical Audi. Its drivetrain comprises a 1.4 TFSI engine with 110 kW, a 75 kW electric motor and a newly developed 6-speed S tronic with an integrated electric motor. The system output is 150 kW with a maximum system torque of 350 Nm. The battery has a capacity of 8.8 kWh and can be charged in a little more than 2 hours from an industrial outlet. A versatile charging system is standard, while a smartphone app provides for extremely easy remote charging and precooling/preheating.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron accelerates to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and has a top speed of 222 km/h. In purely electric mode, top speed is limited to 130 km/h. Fuel consumption according to the ECE standard for plug-in hybrid vehicles is just 1.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 35 grams per kilometre. In electric mode, the compact 5-door can cover 50 kilometres with a CO2 emission of zero grams per kilometre.
The drivetrain of the A3 Sportback e-tron comprises 3 units: a 1.4 TFSI engine, an electric motor and a newly developed 6-speed, dual-clutch transmission. The 1.4 TFSI is one of Audi’;s most advanced engines. The engine is shifted roughly 6 centimeters to the right in the engine compartment compared with an A3 with a classic drivetrain to make room for the additional components. Its crankcase is made of lightweight aluminum, and the entire engine weighs just 100 kilograms
The hybrid management system intelligently controls the interaction of the drive systems. It offers the driver numerous functions, including boost, in which the engine and motor actively work together, and recuperation, which feeds the automobile’;s kinetic energy back into the battery. In contrast to some of its competitors, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is not an either-or concept, but a car that is up to any automotive task.
The driver can use Audi drive select to configure the character of the car according to the modes comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. Due to its to systematic lightweight design, the A3 e-tron has a curb weight (without driver) of just 1,540 kg, yet offers space for 5 occupants and 280 litres of luggage.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron offers a number of operating modes besides braking recuperation. The car is almost always started electrically, except at very low temperatures, in extremely hot conditions or when battery charge is very low. With the electric motor’;s high torque, the compact car accelerates strongly.
Even at a constant 100 km/h in EV mode, it is generally only the electric motor that is in operation provided that there is sufficient battery energy. If the driver maximises the pressure on the accelerator, hybrid mode is activated and the combustion engine starts up. The 2 engines begin working together sooner if the driver has selected the sporty S mode. Boost begins earlier and the A3 Sportback e-tron accelerates with 350 Nm of system torque. When the driver lets up on the accelerator in S mode, the system recovers energy via coasting recuperation, whereas in D mode the hybrid system deactivates both drives and switches into gliding mode. The kinetic energy is now used to achieve maximum range via rolling, and engine drag losses are minimized. The driver of the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron can intervene in the hybrid management system at any time.
The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron comes standard with a charging system that makes full use of the power supplied by the electrical outlet. It comprises a control unit with graphical display, a car cable and 2 power cables with the household and industrial plugs appropriate for the respective country.
Body and design
Subtle details document the special status of the plug-in hybrid model. The Singleframe grille is matt black and contains 14 fine, horizontal chrome struts. Forked chrome struts fill the air inlets, while the bumpers and side sill trims have a sporty look. At the rear, the newly designed apron encompasses a platinum grey diffuser with 2 chrome-plated horizontal slats and 2 side reflectors. The exhaust system tailpipe is invisible, while e-tron badges adorn the grille, the luggage compartment hatch and the fenders. There are 13 paint finishes from which to choose.
The dynamic lines of the exterior continue to the elegant and clean interior of the A3 Sportback e-tron, much the same when compared to its A3 siblings. The displays provide the driver with precise information about the drivetrain. The powermeter, which takes the place of the tachometer in the instrument cluster, shows the system’;s overall output, as well as the status of the drivetrain and the battery charge. The tachometer can be shown in the display between the speedometer and the powermeter. The monitor for the optional MMI navigation plus uses sophisticated graphics to visualize the energy flows in the hybrid system. The entire display and operating concept is clear and intuitive.
With the new, 6th-generation Hyundai Sonata hitting dealerships now, avid followers of the car’s hybrid iteration may be asking yourself where the hybrid model is. Nicely, if these folks existed, they’d surely be curious so far, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata lineup consists of 3 gas-only powertrain combos. The outgoing Sonata gives a hybrid iteration (pictured here), and we’ve found out the new vehicle also will offer you such a model—but it won’t arrive till later this year or early next.
So what’s to become of the Sonata hybrid till it is re-launched in the new body style? At the drive occasion for the redesigned 2015 Sonata, Hyundai told us that the current hybrid will christened as a 2015 model and sold alongside the new sedan till the new hybrid arrives. Even although Hyundai enhanced the Sonata hybrid slightly for 2013—mostly to boost the EPA fuel-economy figures soon after it was caught fluffing those numbers—we’re hunting forward to seeing what the automaker’s organizing for the new version, particularly offered the efficiency improvements to the gas-fed 2015 Sonata.
The base 2015 Sonata is powered by a 2.4-liter 4 bolted to a 6-speed automatic and gets up to 25 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, while the 2.-liter turbo-powered Sport 2.0T‘s window sticker displays 23/32 mpg. Nevertheless, the 2016 hybrid’s real internal competition will come from the new-for-2015 Eco model, which utilizes a modest turbocharged 1.6-liter 4 and a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic to eke out 28/38 mpg—not exactly a threat to the outgoing Sonata hybrid’s 36/40 mpg functionality, but not poor, either. We count on to see the new Sonata hybrid appear at an auto show this fall or early in 2015.
“Be typical and orderly in your life like a bourgeois, so that you might be violent and original in your function.” Coined by French realist Gustave Flaubert (author of Madame Bovary), he is said to have lived by this maxim for most of his life. And while we have no idea how Flaubert moved about 18th-century France, were he alive nowadays, it is a good bet he’d locate the typical and orderly qualities of Toyota’s Highlander hybrid to his liking. High in practicality and low in passion, the Highlander Hybrid is positioned perfectly to make middle-class dreams come correct.
Freshly Familiar
In an effort to spice factors up a bit for 2014, Toyota treated the Highlander to a comprehensive exterior makeover, adding 3 inches of overall length and replacing the previous model’s boxy shape with some sharp and swoopy lines that echo the brand’s existing design direction. But the guys in the powertrain department apparently didn’t get the memo about spicing items up. Returning for one more tour of duty is the identical 231-hp 3.5-liter V-6 gas engine, pair of electric motors (one particular every single for the front and rear axles), 45-kW nickel-metal hydride battery pack, and constantly variable transmission that motivated the earlier version. Not surprisingly, the combined net horsepower remains steadfast at 280.
In typical day-to-day operation, the gas-hybrid program remains transparent, seamlessly switching the gasoline engine on and off as required with out distress. Depress the accelerator past the 3-quarter mark, nevertheless, and things get noisy, as the CVT lets the gas engine wind up, placing the coarser side of its personality front and center. Sadly, forward progress is not commensurate with its bluster. We endured the drone and slight vibration lengthy enough to record a 7.6-second -to-60 sprint, as properly as a 15.8-second quarter-mile. That’s only a handful of tenths off the 7.3- and 15.6-second instances recorded by the non-hybrid 2014 Highlander V-6 AWD we tested. Even although neither version of the Highlander can be classified as rapid, it is at least comforting to know that not much performance is sacrificed in the quest for environmental virtue.
Much more telling is the 24 mpg we recorded in mixed driving. Only 4 mpg south of the EPA’s combined number of 28, it’s a important improvement more than the 19 mpg we recorded with a practically identically outfitted V-6 model. But you will pay up front for that efficiency, as our test car’s sticker checked in much more than $ 5500 greater than the V-6 non-hybrid. Whether or not or not this disparity operates in your favor depends on your person driving habits, and quite likely the opinions of your social circle.
Braking to a quit from 70 mph consumed 187 feet, inside spitting distance of the 188 feet necessary by our non-hybrid V-6 Highlander. But beyond the numbers, the Highlander hybrid’s slightly schizophrenic brake-pedal behavior irritated us in day-to-day driving. Initial braking starts out smooth and linear, but you reach a point where the pedal travel has a diminished effect on deceleration. The nonlinear braking feels downright unnatural. Dynamically speaking, the Highlander hybrid is cut from the exact same cloth as the traditional model. Content to stay in lane without correction, the steering nevertheless is largely indifferent to small corrections and sluggish to comply with abrupt inputs. Turn difficult into a corner, and the net is considerable understeer—our tester labeled it “excessive”—and a heaping assisting of body lean. But again, intensity is not the Highlander’s mission. Its strength is offering calm, constant transportation.
A Calming Influence
To that end, the interior checks all the right boxes: It is quiet (69 db at 70 mph), impacts are effectively isolated and muted, and components are segment-proper. You can not miss the huge shelf residing beneath the dash, which, in spite of a practical cable pass-by way of that keeps personal device cables organized and a soft-touch surface to keep them from sliding about, likely will turn out to be an unorganized and totally visible repository for the detritus of loved ones life. On the other hand, the gigantic storage bin beneath the center armrest effortlessly swallowed a radar detector, 2 handheld video games, and a DSLR camera with room to spare, maintaining them out of sight even though parked.
Leather-trimmed, heated and cooled front seats come common in the hybrid, and the leather-trimmed second-row buckets—a bench seat is not accessible in the hybrid—now travel about 3 inches farther forward, delivering simpler access to the third row. Operated with a single lever, sliding the second-row buckets forward proved to be easy, a boon for these with kids to herd. Despite the fact that Toyota claims the 60/40 third-row seat is 3.3 inches wider than it was previously, it does little to shatter the stereotype of the way-back being suitable only for children and contortionists. Speaking of which, Toyota managed to position the hybrid battery pack and AWD hardware in such a fashion that it doesn’t infringe on cargo capacity, the hybrid offering the same 13.6 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row and 42 behind the second row as the standard Highlander. Models without having the panoramic sunroof get a tad far more space, measuring in at 13.8 and 42.3 cubic feet.
Only 5 options appeared on the order sheet for our already effectively-equipped Highlander hybrid Limited Platinum AWD test vehicle: a first-help kit ($ 29), carpeted floor and cargo mats ($ 225), a cargo net ($ 49), physique-side molding ($ 209), and running boards ($ 599). All in, the as-tested value came to a whopping $ 51,761 (the base cost for a Highlander hybrid is an equally lofty $ 48,225), a quantity that may possibly throw a kink in Flaubert’s whole “regular and orderly” concept.
Suburban super-moms, fire-eating sideshow freaks, and rogue self-mutilation performance artists take note: If you are searching for a predictable antidote to the hassles of day-to-day life with a nod to eco-consciousness thrown in for very good measure, the Highlander hybrid will get the job carried out without having stealing your spotlight. Just preserve the price in check, lest your bourgeois contemporaries accuse you of selling out.
